5. The next page will show the details the DVLA hold about you. Just click on the “Get your check code” button.

6. Click the green “Get a code” button.

7. The code that you can see in the turquoise box is the code that the insurance sales agent is looking for, along with the last eight characters of your driving licence number. Please note, this code is case sensitive. It can be used just once and will only be valid for 21 days.

8. Get in touch with the car insurance company giving you the quote and let them know the check code.

And that’s it! Your insurance company will now be able to give you a quote. If you decide to shop around before making a decision, you’ll need to generate another check code. This is for security reasons, to make sure a check code can’t be used inappropriately to access your personal data.

Frequently asked questions

Why am I being asked to provide my driving licence details?

We’re familiar with being asked lots of questions when we apply for car insurance, but in recent years, insurers have started to check some of the information they’re given before calculating a premium.

If a driver is a higher risk than they’ve actually presented themselves to be, eventually it drives up the cost of car insurance for everyone. And if a claim is made on a policy based on inaccurate information, the insurance company could refuse to pay.

Allowing insurers to check your driving history removes the chance of inaccuracies during the application process. You can be confident that your policy will be based on the right information.

What does the Driving License Summary say about me?

By generating a unique code via a secure government website, you can allow the insurance companies to check:

your identity

penalty points

convictions

the type of driving licence you hold

what vehicles you’re entitled to drive

how long you’ve been driving

How do I get my DVLA check code?

One easy way for an insurer to verify your driving history is for you to allow them access to your driving licence data, which is held by DVLA.

The video at the top of this page takes you step-by-step through this simple process, but don’t worry if you don’t catch everything the first time you watch it – you’ll find helpful instructions written underneath, and screenshots, too.

Before you start, have ready:

your driving licence number

your National Insurance number

the postcode on your driving licence

Where do I find my driving licence number?

Your driving licence number is a 16-digit number and it can be found in section 5 of your driving licence, next to the photo ID.

There’s a screenshot of a UK driving licence in the instructions above.

If you can’t find your driving licence, you can search for the number using other personal details, including your National Insurance number, on the same website.

Where can I find my National Insurance number?

Your National Insurance number can be found on a number of different documents:

your National Insurance card

a payslip or P60

on a tax return

on benefits correspondence

How can I check current endorsements on my driving licence?

The process in the video doesn’t just generate a code for your insurance company to use; you’ll also be able to view your own driving licence details, as well as penalty points, disqualifications and the types of vehicles you can drive.

Information your insurer won’t have access to

When you give a check code to your insurer, they won’t be able to see personal data such as:

medical information

your full address

your motoring history prior to the last 5 years

any speed awareness courses you’ve been on

driving licence details of any named drivers on your policy

parking fines

Your data is only available to the insurance company for as long as their quote is valid – usually 30 days, unless otherwise stated. The only way they can use the data after that is to remove any identifiable information about you and use it anonymously for analysis purposes. After that, it will be deleted.

Can I refuse to give an insurance company my driving licence details?

There’s no legal obligation, but if you choose not to provide an insurance company with your driving licence details, they can’t check that the information you’ve given them is correct. In this scenario you could be quoted a higher premium, or they may decide not to offer car insurance to you at all, or your policy could be cancelled.

Each company will have its own policy on this.

Will my premium increase if I provide my driving licence details?

If you have given accurate information about your driving history to the insurance company when running through your quote, your premium shouldn’t be affected.

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Complete Cover Group Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and is on the Financial Services Register number 309611 (www.fca.org.uk/register/). The company is registered in England & Wales number 3578103 with its registered office at Elmbrook House, 18-19 Station Road, Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, TW16 6SU.